Pulse pumps



Feb 3, 1959 D. A. KlFFER ETAL 2,871,789

PULSE PUMPVfa` Filed July 1l, 1955 Will/111111111 IN V EN TORS mrs/1e: A Mfr/:ER BYLA wAE/vcE 0. dass@ 2,871,789 PULSE PUMPS Desire A. Kitier, Waterloo, and Lawrence D. Orser, Cedar Falls, Iowa, assignors to 'Chamberlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application July 11, 195s, serial No. 521,328A

Claims. (ci. 10s- 44) This invention relates to improvements in pulse pumps, and more particularly to pulse pumps designed to move fluid from one location to another by the simple action of a piston within a cylinder, and the pulsation movement of a diaphragm or the equivalent, the invention having many uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various forms of economical pumps have been developed, but were not suitable for the pumping of diiferent forms of fluids, particularly liquids of certain characters, in that the fluid being pumped would come in contact with operable pump mechanism and have an adverse effect upon that mechanism. This was particularly true if the fluid `was such as to cause an adverse chemical reaction when contacting moving parts, so as to eat away the parts sufficiently to break an effective seal or tight iit, corrode the parts, or otherwise injure them to such an extent that the pump was rendered inetective. Further, with pumps of the character heretofore known it was extremely difcult if not impossible to provide an individual pump assembly capable of moving a plurality of liquids from a plurality of sources to a plurality of points of distribution, so that a plurality of entirely separate pumping actions may be successfully effected by a single pump assembly. Also, d iiiculty was heretofore experienced in providing a pump of any kind, wherein all moving parts of the pump were sealed or contained within a body of lubricant.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a simple form of pump assembly, capable of pumping substantially any character of uid.

t It is also an object of this invention to provide a simple form of pump assembly, so constructed that the fluid being pumped does not come in contact with mechanically moving or driven parts of the pump.

lt is also a feature of the invention to provide a simple and economical form of pump utilizing a diaphragm as the ultimate medium for forcing uid being pumped from one location to another.

lt is also an object of the invention to provide a diaphragm form of pump, wherein the diaphragm is of resilient material and has restorative powers of suiicient character to aid the mechanical elements of the pump in moving a fluid from one location to another, by virtue of the inherent tendency of the diaphragm to resume its original shape.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a diaphragm pulse pump, wherein the mechanically driven parts of the pump are sealed Within a lubricant bath by virtue of the diaphragm element itself.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a pulse pump assembly utilizing diaphragms as the ultimate uid moving elements and so constructed that a plurality of fluids may be separately transferred from their individual sources to their individual points of distribution.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a pulse pump assembly so constructed that with the aid of one prime mover, a plurality of individual pumping elements are actuated, each of which may pump liquid or fluid from the same .or a dierent source than fluid is being pumped by another of the elements.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others `will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which* Figure 1 is a fragmentary part elevational, part vertical sectional view of a pumping assembly embodying principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line II-II of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating a different form of construction.

As shown on the drawings:

' In that illustrated embodiment of the instant invention seen in Figs. l and 2, there is shown a pulse pump assembly embodying two separate pumping units which may draw fluid from the .same or different sources, and

move that fluid to the same or different points of distribution as may be desired. Only one prime mover is utilized to actuate both pumping units.

In this arrangement, there is a closed housing 1 to opposed portions of which cylinders 2 and 3 are connected in open communication with the interior of the housing. Since. the structures associated with each of the cylinders 2 and 3 are identical, only one need be specically described herein.

Referring now to cylinder 2, it will be noted that a sleeve 4 embraces the cylinder, and this sleeve is provided with a suitable plug 5 which not only closes the end of the sleeve but also blocks the open end of the cylinder. Both the cylinder and sleeve are provided with aligned apertures 6 which establish open communication with the interior of a casing 7 mounted on the sleeve in any suitable manner. Inside the casing 7 and overlying the passage formed by the opening 6 is a diaphragm 8.

In the illustrated instance, this diaphragm 8 is in the form of a hollow elongated member having a closed outer end. The diaphragm is preferably of resilient material, synthetic rubber being a satisfactory material although others may be utilized, the actual material of the diaphragm depending greatly upon the iluid tol be pumped. The diaphragm preferably has considerable restorative power, and always inherently tends to assume its original shape.

As seen in the left-hand portion of Fig. 1, the diaphragm is of less diameter than the casing 7 so the diaphragm has freedom of movement inside the casing.

The outer end of the casing is provided with a suitable plug or iitting 9 ha'ving a fluid passage therethrough, iiuid entering the fitting 9 through a pipe or conduit 10, with a check valve assembly 11 permitting fluid travel only in an inward direction. Fluid exits from the fitting 9 through a pipe 12 with another check valve assembly 13 permitting iluid flow only in an outward direction. These check valve arrangements 11 and 13 may be of any suitable character, such, for example, as the check valve assemblies shown in Fig. 3 and to be later described herein. As stated above, the same pumping assembly or unit as above described is shown disposed around the cylinder 3 on the opposite end of the housing 1.

Within the housing 1 is a double piston unit comprising a central driven member 14 having an elongated slot 15 therein, and on each end of this member 14 is a piston 16 and 17 which operate respectively in the cylinders 2 and 3. Each of these pistons is provided with a relief port 18 which, in the illustrated instance, is in the form of an obliquely bottomed slot and which may be substanstially outer end with a suitable pulley 2t! or equivalent means n for connectingthesame with the prime mover, is journaled in a suitable bearing 21 andthe housing 1, and the bearing is provided with an oil or liquid seal 22; On its inner end within the housing 1, theshaft carries a disk 23 from which a fixed pin or roller 2,4 extends into the slotA in the driven member 14.k As seen clearlyin. Figs. ll and 2, the pin or roller 2 4 is eccentrically mounted on the disk so that rotation of the diskwill cause reciprocation of the driven member 14 and yconsequently reciprocation of the oppositely disposed pistons 1,6 and 17 It is to be understood that asuflicient quantityrof lubricant, or other liquid if desired for some reason, lills the housing 1, the cylinders 2 and 3, and perhaps a portion of each of the diaphragms 3 8. l e

As the structure is seen in Fig. l, the piston y17 has reached its maximum right-hand position, and has forced liquid from the cylinder into the diaphragm 8, expanding this diaphragm to the position shown. At the' same time,Y

the piston 16 has reached the limit of its withdrawalposition, and the diaphragm S on the left side of the ligure has assumed its normal position. Now, when the element 14 moves to the left as seen in this ligure, the piston 16 forces liquid into the diaphragm 8, causing that diaphragm to expand, and at the same time the piston 17 has an inward movement in the cylinder 3, thus pulling liquid from the diaphragm 8 on the right side, permitting this diaphragm'to contract. The rapid expansion and contraction of each diaphragm 8, or pulsing of the diaphragm effects the actual pumping of iiuid, causing fluid to enter the pipe 10 upon a contractive movement, and forcing that fluid out the pipe 12 upon an expansion movement. the pipe 12 is substantially continuous, when the pump is operatedy at a reasonably high speed.

It will be noted that two separate pumping units, may

be operated from the same prime mover, each unit withdrawing fluid from a source and sending that iiuidto a point of distribution, and those sources and pointsof distribution may be the same or different as desired. It will be especially noted that the mechanically driven parts of the .pumping assembly can never come in contact with any but the fluid within the housing 1, and this isl preferably a lubricant. The fluid being pumped never contacts the mechanically driven parts of the pump mechanism, and so this fluid may be of any character, acidic, corrosive, or otherwise. During operation, the relief port 18 at the endof each piston prevents excess expansion or contraction of the respective diaphragm.

In Fig. 3 we have illustrated a `slightly different form of the invention, which form is indicative of the fact that even additional pump units maybe incorporated for operation by the same prime mover. With reference to thisy igure, it will be seen that an extra pumping unitrnay be substituted for the plug 5 at one end of the structure seen in Fig. l. To this end, a bushing or adapter 2S is threaded into the sleeve 4 in lieu of the plug 5. Threaded into the bushing is a fitting 26 which has a transverse passage 27 communicating with a longitudinal passage 28 leading to a curvate hollow 29 in the fitting. The adapter-*25 is also provided with a longitudinal passage 30 4communicating with the interior of the cylinder 2. Between the fitting 26 and the adapter 25 there is a diaphragm 31, which in this instance is in the nature of a substantially iiat disk, and preferably of the same material as the diaphragms 8-8, above described.

The pulsing is so rapid,-that the flow of fluid outA A check valve arrangement is provided in the iitting 26, and it will be noted that the passage 27 is of substantially frusto-conical shape at opposite points to provide seats for opposed balls 32 and 33. The balls are retained in position by hollow plugs 34 and 35, respectively, and an outlet pipe 36 extends through the plug 34, While an inlet pipe 37 extends through the plus 35.

Now when the piston 16above referred to, moves on its outward stroke, it not only actuates the diaphragm 8, but also causes the diaphragm 31 to move from the full line position of Fig. 3 to substantially the dotted line position. This causes liquidcontained in the passage 28 of the fitting 26, to be expelled through the outlet pipe 36 by elevating the ball 32, while the' ball 33 remains firmly on its seat in the plug35 to prevent escape of iiuid through the inlet pipe 37. Upon the back stroke of the piston 16, the diaphragm assumes its full line position, thus causing the ball 32 to seat in the fitting 26, and elevate the ball 33 ldrawing in more liquid fromthe pipe 37 into the passage 28. Thus, liquid is brought in through the pipe 37, and expelled throughthe pipe 36 as the diaphragm 31 pulsates.

It will be understood, of course, that either form of diaphragm may be utilized where desired, and. that one or more pumping units may be associated with the same double piston arrangement 14, 16 and 17.

It is also to be especially noted that the restorative power of the-diaphragm aids the pumping action by expelling liquid from thediaphragm as rapidly as possible upon the withdrawal stroke of the respective piston.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a simple form of pulse pump, which may pump any desired iluid, which is simple in construction, highlydurable, and economical both to manufacture and use.

It will be'understood that'modications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel conceptsof the present invention.

We claimas our invention:

l'. A pulse pump construction of the character disclosed, comprising a housing, a cylinder'received at each of the opposed ends of the housing, a sleeve member substantially surrounding each of the cylinders and closed at oneend thereof, a casing on each of the sleeve members, a diaphragm received within` each of the casings and communicating at its open end with aligned openings in each of the cylinders and sleeve members, a iiuid inlet and outlet connected to said casings, a piston movable in opposite directions within each of the cylinders, andmeans within the lhousing alternately moving each of the pistons to `expand. one of the. diaphragrns within the casing expelling duid from the outlet therein while receiving vtiuid through the inlet in said casing.

2. A pulse pump arrangement operable by a single prime mover, comprising a housingsealed against the entrance of deleterious fluids therein, sleeve members secured at opposite ends of said housing, a cylinder contained within each of the sleeve members and having an aperture therein aligned within an opening in the sleeve member circumference, a plug member closing one end of each cylinder and sleeve member and spaced from the aligned apertures therein, a casing supported by each of the sleeve members and lopen at opposite ends thereof, a resilient diaphragm having an open end surrounding the aligned apertures in the cylinders and sleeve members, iiuid inlet and outlet ports at one end of the casing, an axially movable piston in each cylinder, and means connected to the single prime mover and to each of the pistons moving said Vpistons alternately forwardly and rearwardly to expand and contract each of the diaphragrns and expel Vand receive fluid through the outlet and inlet ports in the casing.

3. Aplurality of pulse pumps operable by a single prime mover, comprising a substantially rectangular housing healed against the entrance of deleterious iiuids therein and provided with spaced end and side walls, a

cylinder extending outwardly from each of the housing end walls, a piston movable inwardly and outwardly in each of the cylinders, a sleeve member circumferentially enclosing each of the cylinder members and secured to the housing end walls, plug means closing one end of the cylinders and sleeve members, each of said cylinders and sleeve members having aligned apertures therein, a tubular casing extending radially from each of the sleeve members and supported thereby in abutment with the housing end walls, ya resilient diaphragm received within each of the casings and having an open end in communication with the aligned apertures in the sleeve members and cylinders and abutting against said sleeve members adjacent one open end of each of the casings, a passaged tting at the opposite open end of each casing and provided with inlet and outlet ports communicating with the casing interior, and means connected to the single prime mover and to each of the pistons to alternately axially displace each of said pistons and alternately expand and contract each of the diaphragms to provide entrance and expulsion of fluid through the inlet and outlet ports at one end of each casing.

4. A plurality of pulse pumps of the character dened n claim 3, in which each of the pistons is provided with a relief port communicating with the housing and each of the cylinders, and in which the diaphnagms are of generally cylindrical shape and of lesser diameter than the casings.

5. A plurality of pulse pumps of the character delined in claim 3, in which the last-named axial displacement means includes a shaft connected to the prime mover and a disc supported thereon, and in which said disc carries a pin eccentrically mounted to alternately reciprocate the pistons `and pulsate the diaphragm associated therewith.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

